first resignation and now two republican house chairmen ask for a justice department probe over the leaks. >> from intelligence, papers are being leaked, things are being leaked. it's criminal action, criminal act and it's been going on for a >> that's while the president's second member of his chosen team steps aside amid controversy. this one involving oprah winfrey. russia testing the u.s. sending a spy ship 30 miles off the u.s. coast and one of our most strategic submarine bases. plus, a hero cop comes to the rescue of a burning pickup at a jack-in-the-box. "early today" starts right now.

good to be with you this thursday morning. i'm frances rivera. it was a fire and burst light that left thousands without power. here are the flames lighting up the sky in grant county, washington. a major electrical substation sustained damage from the fires that had emergency crews warning residents to stay at home and to avoid downed power lines. luckily no injuries were reported. as crews were working through the night to restore power. now to a battle brewing between congress and president trump. this morning congressional democrats are demanding an investigation into the details that led to the resignation of national security advisor michael flynn. they are also calling for hearings on trump's campaign aides, alleged discussions with russian operatives during the election. the president is aggressively pursuing leaks that he calls illegal and just a form of retaliation after a clinton's election loss. >> papers are being leaked, things are being leaked. it's criminal action, criminal act, and it's been going on for a long time, before me. but now it's really going on.

and people are trying to cover up for a terrible loss that the democrats had under hillary clinton. the documents and papers that were illegally, i stress that, illegally leaked, very, very unfair. >> now "the wall street journal" is reporting u.s. intel officials are withholding sensitive info from the president out of concern it could be leaked or compromised. the office of the director of national intelligence strongly denying the report with the late night statement calling the allegations not true. that as the new york times reports billionaire and cerberus hedge fund co-founder steven feinberg could be tapped by mr. trump to conduct a broad review of national intel agencies. and congressional republicans are taking their que from the president with two leading house chairmen sending a letter to the department of justice inspector general asking the d.o.j. to investigate the leak of potentially classified information regarding michael flynn. the president had gone out of

his way to praise flynn just two days after he asked the former national security advisor for his resignation, blaming the media for the former general's ouster. >> michael flynn, general flynn, is a wonderful man. i think he's been treated very, very unfairly by the media. as i call it, the fake media in many cases. and i think it's really a sad thing that he was treated so badly. >> well, those comments came as the president hosted israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu for the first time. but the president's comments don't seem to be enough to keep lawmakers at bay. with a top republican and democrat on the senate judiciary committee, now requesting a briefing and documents related to the circumstances leading up to flynn's resignation. senator mccain pointed to the white house's dysfunction, adding these strong words. >> as i said before, who is making the decisions in the white house? is it the 31-year-old, is it mr. bannon? is it the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff? i don't know.

>> and still no official word from the white house on who will serve as the president's permanent national security advisor. as the administration also looks for a new labor secretary nominee, after andy puzder cke restaurant chief pulled himself out of consideration for the post when it became clear he did not have the votes in the senate. puzder lost support in part because of a haunting tape of his ex-wife appearing on the oprah show some 27 years ago in disguise to talk about spousal abuse. charges she later took back and puzder has always denied. russia is apparently spying on the united states. a russian intelligence ship was spotted 30 miles off the coast of groton, connecticut. that's the home of u.s. naval submarine base, new london. the russian vessel was technically in international waters, which ends 12 nautical miles within the u.s. coast line. nbc's hans nichols has the report. what is the latest we know on the spy ship?

>> reporter: we knew they were always tracking the russian spy ship. it's been in transit for months. this isn't that controversial because it was in international water. when you combine it with the aggression nato members are feeling, it has an added significance. just one example, in the black sea, a u.s. destroyer. today, in a town the u.s. chairman chief of staff is meeting with his russian counter part to talk about it. that's part of the conversation here. the other part is about nato and nato defense spending. the target is 2% gdp. five countries meet that threshold. secretary mattis came here and delivered a stern warning, an ultima ultimatum that he wants to see the spending. a more assertive and aggressive

russia. frances? >> thank you for that report. now to malaysia where two individuals have been arrested in the assassination of kim jong-un's half brother. he was poisoned by a pair of female assassins waiting for a flight to malaysian. it marks the 75th anniversary of his father's birth. north korean state television showing video as the young leader was acomp anied by dozens of officials and army officers. kim young ill died in 2011. today businesses as cross the united states prepare to close as thousands plan to participate in a day without immigrants boycott in protest of president trump's immigration orders. social media organizers in new york, boston, washington, d.c., philadelphia, austin, texas and other major cities have called for immigrants not to attend work and open their businesses, spend money and even

send their children to school. a similar event took place in wisconsin earlier this week when thousands marched in response to sheriff dave clark's threat to crack down on immigrants. a rookie police officer is being praised for quick thinking after he saved a fast food restaurant from going up in flames. he responded to a truck fire at a jack-in-the box drive-through outside of dallas. when the flames here getting dangerously close to the building, he pulled up behind the burning truck and rammed it through the drive out to the parking lot. he's never experienced a situation like that before. still ahead here on earth, ash ton kucharer on human trafficking and how technology can be used to stop modern day slavery. right now, let's get a check of our forecast with nbc meteorologist. we are looking at wet weather with 24 million people in california under a flash flood wash.

we'll watch for the rain to come and impact the oroville area. we have light rain falling. all eyes are on the dam. it looks like we are going to see more substantial rain to the south of this system into friday. something to watch. let's take a look at conditions outside right now and you'll find temperatures cooler to the north. generally speaking, we are looking at warm numbers across the board. we'll be watching for temperatures to warm into the 70s and 80s and to the west. watch for the wet weather on friday in southern california. >> bonnie, that may not be the best beach day when it comes to that in southern california. this may be the scenario in california. the black spots in the water are thousands of sharks off the coast of west palm beach, florida. the warm winter delayed the annual migration. shark experts say they typically make the trek in january.

water temperatures delayed their journey. here is a situation right now. at least they were able to get it up in the sky, this aerial view. on the coast, on the beach, you may not be able to see it very clearly. those are the sharks. luckily, no reports of shark encounters there with swimmers. still ahead, the secretary of state arrives at the g-20 summit. can he calm fears stoked by the presidency? a super bowl bet that paid off with a tennis superstar. keep it here, you are watching "early today."

it's not a quick fix. it's my decision to make beauty last. roc® retinol, started visibly reducing my fine lines and wrinkles in one week. and the longer i use it, the better it works. retinol correxion® from roc. methods, not miracles.™ more "doing chores for dad" per roll more "earning something you love" per roll bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty, the quicker picker upper ...you need to eat this special. kellogg's special k... ...made with whole grains and fiber to help a body thrive... folic acid and vitamin d... ...to make a body feel this good. start your day with 150 nourishing calories...

...in a bowl of special k. ♪ eat special, feel special. introducing special k nourish bites. a new way to snack special. trythe unique formula withched nourishing almond oil... ...leaves skin smoother. moisturized for 24 hours. nivea essentially enriched. for noticeably smoother skin. it's a simple notion, the right to pursue happiness. it's bestowed upon all of us by our constitution. every citizen of this country has the right to pursue it. and i believe that it is incumbent upon us as citizens of this nation, as americans, to bestow that right upon others, upon each other and upon the rest of the world.

>> actor ashton kutcher testifying before the senate foreign relations committee seeking to end modern day slavery. as the co-founder of antihuman trafficking organization thorn, kutcher passionately proposed using technology to protect vulnerable refugees. leading the news rex tillerson faces tough negotiations today as he joins the foreign ministers of 20 world powers in bon germany. this is tillerson's first trip abroad as secretary of state. he'll likely be navigating complex issues like the u.s.'s relationship with russia and china as well as conflicts in the middle east. nbc's lucie kavanagh, what can we expect out of this important conference today? >> reporter: in about an hour, rex tillerson is expected to arrive here. he will meet with the russian foreign minister. this is a long awaited meeting. it's the first time they will meet face-to-face and the

scandal with trump administration officials and agents and how that's going to affect the hoped for u.s./russia reset. we know they will talk about how they can cooperate, the fight against isis, for example. rex tillerson will bring up the russian influence in ukraine and how they can decrease the crisis. they will not raise the issue of lifting sanctions. a lot of tough issues on the agenda. the trump administration is calling it a listening tour. we are not expecting announcements by rex tillerson. itis important to get the face-to-face contact with the leaders and set the agenda for the g-20 which donald trump will attend in germany. >> it will be on the world stage as everyone is watching there in the first meetings. thank you.

two kentucky people ended up in a brawl caught on tape. security videos show the deputy sheriff and deputy jailer getting in a hands-on fight at the harden county detention center. several other men separate the two but moments later, watch, they go ought it again. apparently it all started about an argument about an inmate's belongings. the jailer was arrested and charged with assault. menacing and resisting arrest. the deputy sheriff remains on the job. from drama on the field to drama on the screen, date line.com will feature patriots tom brady and the journey to his historic super bowl 51 victory. the writers working on the book movie combo project have reportedly cultivated several sources inside the patriots locker room. the team hopes to get the behind-the-scenes perspective on deflategate and his triumphant return to the game. they found a different way to honor the patriots' qb. >> i'd like to introduce tom brady. >> i don't know that's the best

you can watch for the qb. that's what they are doing. the zoo's newest member of the cockroach family. they are named after brady bunch character and they went after another brady, tom brady. plus, stocks did just they haven't done in 25 years. get ready for pokemon goes next big thing chlgt i will never wash my hair again. i will never never wash my hair again now, i fuel it new pantene doesn't just wash your hair, it fuels it. with the first pro-v nutrient blend, making every... ...strand stronger don't just wash your hair fuel it fuel your hair. because strong is beautiful. my man friend that i've been seeiyour man friend. . oodbye, i love you," and like... (laughs) what'd he say? i said, "don't say anything!"

oh god! (laughs) 'cause now like, this is the cliffhanger, so we don't know if he loves you. what's gonna happen if he doesn't? but everybody gets dry skin. feel moisturized without feeling your moisturizer with lubriderm. absorbs in seconds. moisturizes for hours. lubriderm. every body care. it can seem like triggers pop up everywhere. luckily there's powerful, 24-hour, non-drowsy claritin. it provides relief of symptoms that can be triggered by over 200 different allergens. live claritin clear.

fast forwarding today, the senate will vote on donald trump's nominee to head up the budget, congressman nick mull vanny. it's after senator john mccain says he will oppose. he is expected to pass along party lines. president trump announced he will head to florida holding the first campaign-style rally of his term, posting tickets on his trump campaign website. areas surrounding new zealand's city, christchurch. flames spurred on by the unusually dry summer. stocks hit a record high for the fifth session. is donald trump driving the markets or something else? landon, good morning. >> good morning to you. wall street will try to extend its winning ways today. the dow, nasdaq and s&p 500 closing at record highs for a

fifth straight session. it's the first time since 1992. data and retail sales show the economy continues to improve encouraging the fed to raise interest rates. they will watch more data on unemployment and housing starts. facebook is taking on linked in, letting businesses post job listings in their news feed. you can apply through the company's page and autofill the application from your profile. employers can respond via messenger. mcdonald's redesigns the drinking straw. the fast food giant commissioned a team of engineers to tackle the biggest problem, having to let the shake melt a bit before you can get the perfect mix of flavors. the new straw or suction tube lets you get both layers all at once. pokemon go fans, a massive update is expected with 80 new

pokemon they were originally discovered in the gold and silver release in 2000. it became a viral sensation last summer, breaking records in the app store for the most downloads in the first week. back to you. >> you can celebrate with the shake from mcdonald's. the new straw. hasn't been anything like that since the invention of the spork. president trump dines with marco rubio. of bad breath germs. this is 100% useful for a 100% fresh mouth. just ask listerine® users. the very people we studied in the study of bold. people who are statistically more likely to stand up to a bully. do a yoga handstand. and be in a magician's act. listerine® kills 99% of bad breath germs so you can feel 100% in life. bring out the bold™. also try listerine® pocketpaks for fresh breath on the go.

♪ the sun'll come out for people with heart failure, tomorrow is not a given. but entresto is a medicine that helps make more tomorrows possible. ♪ tomorrow, tomorrow... ♪ i love ya, tomorrow in the largest heart failure study ever. entresto helped more people stay alive and out of the hospital than a leading heart failure medicine. women who are pregnant must not take entresto. it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren. if you've had angioedema while taking an ace or arb medicine, don't take entresto. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure... ...kidney problems, or high potassium in your blood. ♪ tomorrow, tomorrow i love ya, tomorrow.♪ ask your heart doctor about entresto. and help make tomorrow possible. ♪ you're only a day away ♪

need a fast absorbing try nivea in-shower body lotion. wash. apply. it absorbs fast. for 24 hour moisture. quickly rinse for smoother skin. ready to go! nivea in-shower body lotion. also available with cocoa butter. more "doing chores for dad" per roll more "earning something you love" per roll bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty, the quicker picker upper wiback like it could used to? neutrogena hydro boost water gel. with hyaluronic acid it plumps skin cells with intense hydration and locks it in. for supple, hydrated skin. hydro boost. from neutrogena

one of the most surreal dynamic that is played out in the presidential campaign wasn't always between the two front runners, but lots of times between a candidate trump and senator marco rubio who got into more than their share of spats from water intake to hand size. just imagine that dynamic on full display when both had dinner at the white house. here's a look back at the war between both men during the campaign. >> you all have friends that are thinking of voting for donald trump. friends do not let friends vote for conartists. >> i watched this lightweight rubio, total lightweight. little mouth on him, bing, bing, bing. >> the guy with the worst spray tan in america is attacking me for putting on make up. donald trump likes to sue people. he should sue whoever did that to his face. >> when they put marco on to refute president obama's speech, do you remember that

catastrophe? he's like this -- ahh, ahh. i need water. it's rubio. >> donald is not going to make america great. he's going to make america orange. >> he's like 6'2", which is why i don't understand why his hands are the size of someone who is 5'2". have you seen his hands? they're like this. you know what they say about men with small hands. you can't trust them. sill -- >> little, l-i-d-d-l-e, lid l marko. you have to brand people a certain way when they're your owe poentd. this is "early today." per roll

more "doing chores for dad" per roll more "earning something you love" per roll bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty, the quicker picker upper it's realizing beauty doesn't stop at my chin. roc®'s formula adapts to delicate skin areas. my fine lines here? visibly reduced in 4 weeks. chest, neck, and face cream from roc®. methods, not miracles.™ a heart attack doesn't or how healthy you look. no matter who you are, a heart attack can happen without warning. a bayer aspirin regimen can help prevent another heart attack. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. bayer aspirin.

throughout this month nbclk is honoring the most impressive african-american innovators from entrepreneurs, athletes to activists all just 28 or younger. this morning we recognize the young mayor michael tubs, a stanford grad who made history this year when he was elected as the youngest black mayor in stockton, california, at just 26 years of age. for more information just go to nbc blk 28.com and use the hashtag nbcblk 28. bonnie is back with a look at the forecast and what to expect. more rain on the way? >> absolutely, especially tomorrow in southern california. lots of rain for orange county, los angeles as well. temperatures are warming up to spring-like numbers across so much of the country. 30 degrees warmer than normal, that is remarkable.

it will feel warmer than that in st. louis. minneapolis, denver, they are looking at mild numbers and will push to the east for the weekend. >> thank you. a thirds child died in chicago. the 12-year-old died wednesday, four days after being hit by a stray bullet at a play grounld. she is on the left. mayor rom emanuel welcomes federal help to stop the gun violence. a tesla owner uses model s to save an unconscious driver from having a stroke on the audubon. it slowed. the fire department came to help the unconscious driver. the man's goods deed didn't go unnoticed. she was congratulated on twitter, saying tesla is providing all repair costs free of charge.

march madness is just around the corner. the ncaa championship will be met with a big production at the white house. president obama broadcasting his bracket live on camera. this year, it is no more after president trump declined espn's tradition. understandable since it's a new custom embraced by president obama. it looks like that may leave with the former president as well. a tennis model shows she is a woman of her word. she kept a bet with a man who asked for a date if patriots won the super bowl. she said i knew atlanta would win. the date was on. she went into a brooklyn mets game with her date. she paid for his flight and hotel room, tweeting this picture celebrating their twitter date. see what happens when you tweet? i'm frances rivera.

thanks for being with me on "early today." ok, let's try this. ok, it says you apply the blue one to me. here? no. ah ok, here? maybe you should read the directions. have a little fun together, or a lot. k-y yours and mine. two sensations that work together, so you can play together. k-y yours and mine. sam/voas we brace fomore wet

weather--- will that meanore mudslides in the santa uz mountains? with the so alady risk...there'an elevated for a newly-reinforcedspillway t =outcue "...for a possibleevacu =runs 10= ==sam/2shot== goomorning- d thanks forjoining i'm sam brock. ==ura/2sh== and i'm laura garcia cann. a good thursday morning. thank you for joining us. i'm sam brock. >> i'm